13 March, 2010

MONSTER MITAR VASILJEVIC RELEASED FROM PRISON

Ever wondered what it feels like when you burn alive? There is still no justice for the Bosnian Muslim women, children and the elderly who burned alive around Srebrenica three years before the genocide.

Mitar Vasiljevic, who according to eye-witnesses participated in Visegrad's live pyres, has been granted the early release from prison after serving only 2/3 of his inadequate 15 year sentence. According to Dnevni Avaz local Serbs celebrated the release of a man who burned Bosniak women and children alive,

"Tonight, several hundred of Visegrad's residents welcomed Mitar Vasiljevic who was released by the Hague Tribunal after having served two thirds of his 15-year prison sentence... Column of cars, stretching halfway from Sarajevo to Visegrad welcomed Vasiljevic at the Square of fallen soldiers in Visegrad with sirens and orchestra from Uzice (town in Serbia). Vasiljevic stated that he was never happier and that the Hague Tribunal's judgment against him was 100% unjust."

In 1992, three years before the Srebrenica genocide, Serb paramilitary forces around Srebrenica raped, tortured and then burned alive Bosniak women, children and the elderly. Mitar Vasiljevic was a member of 'Beli Orlovi' (White Eagles) paramilitary group.

Based on a false material evidence from Uzice Hospital, which was provided by Vasiljevic's relatives - primarily Dr. Aleksandar Moljevic - this monster was initially acquitted of the most serious charges, including the direct participation in the burnings of more than 100 Bosnian Muslim women and children in a neighboring municipality of Visegrad in 1992. For those who speak Bosnian language, there is an excellent analysis of Vasiljevic and Lukic judgements published by the Congress of North American Bosniaks. For example in Lukic judgement, Zehra Turjacanin placed Mitar Vasiljevic at the scene of the crime in Bikavac live pyre. Judges described her as a witness of truth. Since Vasiljevic's case was handled separately, because Lukic cousins were on the run, and by the time their trial took place Vasiljevic was already off the hook. He got away with murder thanks to fake evidence provided by his cousin Dr. Aleksandar Moljevic. In Lukic's trial, judges conceded that the evidence provided by Uzice Hospital was fake, but it was too late. / See photo of Zehra Turjacanin and what it feels like to burn alive. /

Serbs have abused the ICTY system for quite some time and they probably still abuse it, but it's difficult to uncover each and every case of the abuse, misconduct and irregularities. According to the ICTY:

The financial investigations also inquire into allegations of financial misconduct. In this respect, they have resulted in some findings of billing irregularities. Importantly, they have uncovered cases of “fee-splitting”. This term describes the phenomenon in which the lawyer and the accused share the lawyer's fees. This has led to abuses, notably in the case of Zoran Žigić, who managed to amass US$ 175,000 for himself as a result of “fee-splitting”.

There is also an ongoing case of Zuhdija Tabakovic whom Serbs paid to lie on behalf of Vasiljevic's relatives. According to the ICTY:

The indictment alleges that in October 2008, the accused was approached by Milan Lukic’s defence “case manager” Jelena Rasić and asked to sign a pre-written statement even though he did not witness the events nor did he have any knowledge of the events described in the statement. It is alleged that once he signed the statement and the signature was certified at the Novi Grad Municipality building in Sarajevo, Rasić gave Tabaković an envelope containing 1,000 euros and stated he would be paid more money once he testified.... During the same meeting, it is alleged that Rasić presented Tabaković with two other pre-written statements asking him to find two other men to sign the false statements and testify. Rasić said that she would also pay each man 1,000 Euros and more once they testified. A few days later the indictment alleges that Tabaković found two men willing to sign and testify to the false statements and once their signatures were certified at the Novi Grad.

Vasiljevic's relatives - Milan Lukic and Sredoje Lukic - have been convicted of more serious crimes and sentenced to life and 30 years imprisonment for their involvement in the live pyres of Muslim civilians. Victims from Visegrad have protested for years because the Hague Prosecution did not include numerous cases of rapes committed by Mitar Vasiljevic and Lukic cousins against Bosniak women and young children.

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Srebrenica Genocide is not a matter of anybody's opinion; it's a judicial fact recognized first by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and subsequently by the International Court of Justice.